Traction device.



.T. w. LINGARD. TRACTION DEVICE.

APPLICATION PILBP JULY 25. 1906.

PATENTE'D 0012.30, 1906! THOMAS WM. L1NGARD,OF OAK GROVE, ALABAMA.

TRACTION 'DEVI'CE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 30, 1906.

Application filed July 25, 1906. Serial ll' o. 327,738.

To all whom it may concern.- Be it known that I, THOMAS WILLIAM LIN-GARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Grove, in thecounty of Mobile and State. of Alabama, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Traction Devices, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Thisinvention relates to traction devices which are arranged to travelon an elevated traction-way, such as a track or cable, for the purposeof supporting a carrier for freight or other material, and especiallyfor use with such a carrier as is disclosed in-my copending applicationfor patent on freight-carrier, filed November 14, 1905, Serial No.287,283, in which application the subject-matter of this application waspreviously disclosed.

This device is so constructed as to form a strong and efficient meansfor supporting and conveying the carrier, andit is provided with means.which greatly reduces friction between it and the supporting track orcable. Efiective means are embodied in the device whereby the carrier issteadied both while in motion and while at rest.

The details of construction and arrangement of parts contemplated bythis invention are disclosed in the accompanying drawings, forming parthereof, wherein is shown for purposes of illustration apreferableembodiment of the invention.

Like reference characters refer to corresponding parts in the severalviews of the rawings, whereof Figure 1 is a front view. Fig. 2 is an endView, partly in section, on the line as as, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sideview, partly in section, on the line y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 1s across-sectional view showing a modification.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, a traction-way 11 isprovided for supporting the carrier. The traction-way may be either anelevated track, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, or it may be formed ofsuspended cables, as shown in Fig. 4.

The traction-device (designated by 12) includes upright members 13 and aconnecting portion 14 at the bottom, whereby an invertedsubstantially-U-shaped frame is formed. Offsets 15 are attached tomembers 13 or made integral therewith near their up er end and on theirfacing surfaces. A sha t 16 is secured to each member 13 and its offset15, and on eaoh'of said shafts is journaled a traction-wheel 17, the twowheels being complementary andbapable of travel on tractionway 11.

Vertical shafts 18 are disposed between offsets 15 and member 14 oneachside of traction-way 11, and on said shafts are rollers 19, which havecontact with the sides of said traction-way, reduce friction, and steadythe device. Horizontal shafts 20 are secured in members 13 and belowtraction way 11, and these shafts carry rollers 21, which engage thebottom of traction-way 11 for a function similar to that of rollers 19.

When a cable is used to support the device, as shown in Fig. 4, rollers19 and 21 may be dispensed with or not, as desired.

During use of a cable traction-way if rollers 19 and 21 are not usedthere is attached .to each end of the traction device a rod (1,

fabricated. to form downwardly-dc -ending portions b, lying beneathtraction-w eels 17 and carrying antifriction-rollers c, and to form aportion d, projecting u wardly between traction-wheels 17. The eviceformed by rod a serves to maintain the roper relative positionbetweenthe cable and traction-way, rollers c engaging the cable on tendency ofthe traction device to jump.

An arm or shaft 22 projects from each side of member 14 in line of andbeneath tractionway 11. Near each end of arm 22 is attachd a guide 23.

Projecting upwardly from guide 23 and arranged one on each side of thetraction-way 25, which are engageable by the tractionway; Supported ineach pair of standards 24 is a shaft 26, carrying anantifriction-roller27 engageable by the under part of the traction-way.

A plurality of apertures or seats 28 are formed in standards 24 for therece tion of shaft 26 in order-that the height of t e same can be variedat will. Guides 23 constitute means in addition to traction device 12for steadying the carrier on the traction-way.

are standards 24, carrying antifriction-rollers I To to travel on atraction-Way, vertical shafts disposed between and attached to saidprojecting portions and the bottom of said frame, and rollers on saidshafts arranged to engage the sides of the traction-Way.

2. A traction device comprising a Wheel arranged for travel on atraction-Way, an arm projecting from the traction device, and a guide onsaid arm arranged to engage the traction-Way, said guide comprising across member attached to said arm, standards disposed on each side ofthe traction-Way, and rollers on said standards and arranged to en gagethe traction-Way.

3. A traction device comprising a wheel arranged for travel on atraction-way, an arm projecting from the traction device, and a guide onsaid arm arranged to engage the tractionway, said guide comprising across member attached to said arm, standards on said cross member, ashaft carried by said standards, and a roller on said shaft arrangedto'engage the bottom of the trac'tionavay.

4. A traction device comprising a Wheel arranged for travel on atraction-way, an arm projecting from the traction device, and a guide onsaid arm arranged to engage the traction-Way, said guide comprising across member attached to said arm, standards on said cross member, ashaft carried by said standards, a roller'on said shaft arranged toengage the bottom of the traction-way, and means on said standardswhereby height of said roller can be varied.

5. A traction device comprising a wheel arranged for travel on atraction-way, an. arm projecting from the traction device, and a guideon said arm arranged to engage the traction-way, said guide comprising across member attached to said arm, standards disposed on each side ofthe traction.way, rollers on said standards and arranged to engage thesides of the traction-way, a shaft carried by said standards, and aroller on. said shaft arranged to engage the bottom of the traction-way.

6. A traction device comprising a plurality of wheels arranged fortravel on. a tractionway composed of cables, and means on said devicewhereby each traction-wheel is kept in proper relation with the cable onwhich it travels, said means comprising a downwardly-depending portionlying beneath each traction-wheel, and an upwardly-extending portiondisposed between the traction-wheels.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS WM. LIN GARD.

Witnesses:

M. C. LINGLE, WM. BAXTER.

